


Within These Final Hours

by orphan_account



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alpha!Shiro, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Bond bites, Bonding, Breeding, Galra!Keith, Keith is basically a galra prince, Knotting, M/M, Mating, Omega Keith, Omega!Keith, Outer Space, Royalty AU, alpha shiro, bites, not very descriptive but I better tag it to be safe.jpg, slight mpreg, usual ABO verse stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-03
Updated: 2016-08-27
Packaged: 2018-07-29 02:13:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7666378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Okay so, I've been writing this for the past three weeks and now that it's done I can finally start posting and writing my OTHER Voltron fic. As someone who has watched the old Voltron series, I was both excited and slightly unnerved when I heard the show was being remade. Remakes tend to be pretty awful... But thankfully, this one is pretty damn awesome. The second season is making me nervous though...Swear if anything happens to Shiro, I'm gonna lose it.</p><p>Anyway, I'll post chapters twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Pretty standard Omega!Verse fic, as well as some Galra!Kieth stuff... But yeah, I can't promise any specific time, probably going to be around noon usually - Chicago time zone -, but I just finished proofreading chapter one - with some slight revision - and I decided to post it now. But here, take this sin, there will be smut in later chapters. This entire fic will be completely posted by the 20th. </p><p>I should have the next one finished and I can start posting a new fic. I hope you guys enjoy, constructive criticism is welcomed but please be kind with your words. I tend to react badly to cruel words. </p><p>I am also in dire need of a beta! If anyone is interested, please contact me at BaoziiBoi@gmail.com</p><p>Thanks everyone, I'm excited to finally start sharing my works. Remember, I am but a smol 16 year old, so my writing style is sill in development. I am by no means a professional and I do not intend on chasing a profession in this field. This is for fun and I would like to keep it that way.</p>
    </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so, I've been writing this for the past three weeks and now that it's done I can finally start posting and writing my OTHER Voltron fic. As someone who has watched the old Voltron series, I was both excited and slightly unnerved when I heard the show was being remade. Remakes tend to be pretty awful... But thankfully, this one is pretty damn awesome. The second season is making me nervous though...Swear if anything happens to Shiro, I'm gonna lose it.
> 
> Anyway, I'll post chapters twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Pretty standard Omega!Verse fic, as well as some Galra!Kieth stuff... But yeah, I can't promise any specific time, probably going to be around noon usually - Chicago time zone -, but I just finished proofreading chapter one - with some slight revision - and I decided to post it now. But here, take this sin, there will be smut in later chapters. This entire fic will be completely posted by the 20th. 
> 
> I should have the next one finished and I can start posting a new fic. I hope you guys enjoy, constructive criticism is welcomed but please be kind with your words. I tend to react badly to cruel words. 
> 
> I am also in dire need of a beta! If anyone is interested, please contact me at BaoziiBoi@gmail.com
> 
> Thanks everyone, I'm excited to finally start sharing my works. Remember, I am but a smol 16 year old, so my writing style is sill in development. I am by no means a professional and I do not intend on chasing a profession in this field. This is for fun and I would like to keep it that way.

Within These Final Hours

Voltron: Legendary Defender

Shiro x Keith

Omega!Verse, Royalty AU

 

Chapter One:

 

Strong, powerful, conquerors. The Galra race was a mass of sovereign people, who answered to no one and triumphed over all. But even the mightiest of races were ruled by a great leader. Emperor Zarkon was in total control of the entire universe. He had enough power to take down even the strongest of civilizations, though this was usually deemed unnecessary. What was the point of needlessly taking out entire civilizations when he could watch them cower in fear, offering up the most attenuate and alluring gifts in order to appease their overlord. It was true that the majority of every living being who knew of Zarkon’s existence wished to please and impress the mighty Emperor. And the few who decided they’d stand in his way were doomed to perish.

 

All were made an example of, the most recent fool being the newly late King Alfor of Altea. The foolish man had the audacity to make an attempt on the Emperor’s life. A sneak attack, a coward’s attack. The two fought in a bloody battle that ended up with Alfor dead and the Black Paladin of Voltron within his grasp. The Voltron lions, presumptuously the only weapon that could defeat Zarkon. Not much of a weapon when only two of them were in the control of the Alteans - the Red and Black - and futher more, the Red Lion was completely inoperable. It was rumored that the Blue Lion was at the bottom of a sea on a distant planet, the Green had been taken over by plant life on an uninhabitable jungle planet, and the Yellow Lion had been completely destroyed. If these tales were true, then Voltron would never be a threat to the Galran Empire again.

 

Along with the fall of Alfor, Zarkon gained his newest toy; Shirogane Takashi. Shiro; a strong, powerful, nubile Alpha. A man who was created, sculpted by the gods, to fight. During his strenuous plight with Zarkon, he’d suffered the tragedy of losing his right arm. No matter, ‘twas nothing the druids could not fix.

 

**____________________**

 

_The thundering beats of his own heart pounded in his ears as he approached the Galra ship. King Alfor, a man who had been nothing less than a father to him, had a plan. For many years Alfor had been conspiring against Zarkon, all under the Galra Emperor’s nose. The Altean King was proficient in the act of faking a smile, something he’d done to appease Zarkon for decades._

 

_Shiro stopped the Black Lion at the loading dock of the Galran ship, the mouth of the huge beast opening to allow King Alfor to take his leave. “Remember the plan, Shiro.” The teenager gave a nod, swallowing hard. The Altean King placed a hand upon the shoulder of a boy he’d watched grow into the man before him, squeezing momentarily. “If I don’t make it out of here...I want you to lead Altea.” A look of disbelief crossed Shiro’s face as he looked at the man he’d grown to see as a father. “But, you will make it out. Alfor, you’ve never lost a battle.” The King released a sad chuckle, shaking his head, “While that may be true, Shiro, son… I have been losing a war for many, many years.” He sighed. With that, Alfor left. It was time for him to talk to Zarkon. Lucky for them, Zarkon had called Alfor in for a meeting, wishing to question the state of Altea’s crystal fields. They were most fruitful when the Altean’s took care of them, Zarkon found it to be much easier to allow the Altean’s to live in peace as he exploited their crystal fields with the promise of protection. It wasn’t uncommon for the Emperor to call meetings to discuss this sort of ordeal._

 

_Entering the elaborate throne room, Alfor swallowed hard. He carried the bayard of the Red Paladin, which was safely tucked away underneath his tunic. There was no way anyone would know it was there on less they were told. “Alfor, it is most pleasurable to see you once again.” Zarkon offered. Alfor gave a smile and shook his head. “The pleasure, m’lord, is all mine.” At those words, Zarkan perked. It wasn’t unlike Alfor to compliment him, but today there was a sickly sweetness in his voice that put the Galran Emperor on edge._

 

 _Hours passed and with each tic, Shiro grew more and more anxious. He could hear the entire conversation over Alfor’s voice invigilator. M_ _any things were spoken about after the immediate concern, things that Shiro considered excessively trivial_ _. But it seemed like they had had the Galra completely fooled, played off as though it was j_ _ust Zarkon speaking with whom he saw as an old friend. After three grueling hours, Alfor spoke up again. “I should begin taking my leave_ _, poor Shiro must be bored out of his mind.” He joked. The Black Paladin perked at the sound of his name. “Of course, old friend. I found solace in your company once more. We should meet more often.” Instantly, Shiro picked up a strange tone in Zarkon’s voice. A tone that he felt was eerily similar to the warning growl of a wild animal. There was a heavy, aching feeling in the pit of his stomach. He swallowed hard, feeling as though he should warn Alfor, but there was no guarantee that Zarkon wouldn’t hear him. The Galra were known for having strong hearing sense and if Shiro were to say anything, Zarkon would know that he’d been listening the whole time. Which would not sit well with the Galran Emperor. “Until next time, old friend.” He heard Zarkon’s voice rumble throughout the speakers. “There is one last thing.” Alfor paused, turning to stare at the Galra._

 

_Shiro shuddered at the sound of metallic clanging. They were at it, any moment Alfor could call him for help. Shaky breaths left him, his hand gripping his bayard as his entire body trembled in fear. He’d never met Zarkon before, he’d never seen this man in his life. He grew up knowing that Zarkon was a fearless, relentless, and bloodthirsty man. And his king was in there, waiting to for him to come and help with Zarkon’s wrath. Fast paced, shuddering breaths left him as he thought about the very possible outcome of his own death. The horrid thoughts crossed his mind and he couldn’t stop tears from pricking the back of his eyes. They’d made a mistake, there was no way that they would be able to kill Zarkon, they were doomed. “We’re going to die here.” He mumbled under his breath, completely forgetting his communicator. “Don’t you dare think that way, Shiro. Get your ass in here and help me. Shiro I need- Gah!!” At the sound of Alfor's distress, Shiro’s mind went into autopilot as he pulled the Black Lion from it’s idling place, swiftly finding the Altean King on his locater._

 

_Shrapnel and glass shattered across the great throne room as the head of the Black Lion broke through the side of the Galra ship. Shiro propelled himself out of the Lion’s mouth, gripping his bayard in his right hand. He flicked his wrist, the weapon morphing into a large sword. He ran at Zarkon, hoping to overwhelm him as both he and Alfor fought him with their sabres._

 

_Guards struggled with the door, a large piece of wreckage blocking their only entry. Shiro could tell that they were running out of time, they needed to act quickly. But for now, it seemed as though Zarkon wouldn’t get any help this time but to the dismay of the Altean King and his halfling companion, the Galran Emperor didn’t seem to need it. With one swift motion, the Galra shoved Shiro to the side with his foot, impaling the teenager on flotsam. A strained cry left the Black Paladin as he huffed, choking back the sobs that he wished to released. It took all he had to keep his honor and get that damned metal out of his side. Distracted by Shiro’s tormented cry, Zarkon found his opening and took it._

 

_Within moments, Shiro’s entire world crumbled before him. With the jetsam finally removed, Shiro rushed to push Zarkon off of Alfor, pulling the only man he’d ever called “father” away from the immediate threat. “Shiro, run.” The breathy voice of Alfor echoed in his head. “...No…” He shook his head. “Yes, you must leave. Go to Altea, ready Alura. You will marry her as planned, you will rule in my place.” Alfor’s voice was distant and dying. Tears fell from Shiro’s eyes. “Alfor….Father! You can’t leave me like this!” He screamed. Shiro raised his bayard, blocking an attack from Zarkon, only to be shoved back. He refused to let Alfor go, inevitably getting him slashed. A large gash bled heavily on the bridge of his nose. He growled with the rage of an untamed beast. “You will, my son. Honor me...I am proud of the man you have become, Takashi.” The Altean King’s eyelids grew heavy and Alfor’s imminent last breath left him. In his blind rage, Shiro delivered a relentless attack, slashing at Zarkon with all he had._

 

 _The unrelenting Galra King humored the teenager for a bit, allowing the Black Paladin to wear himself out before he unavoidably grew bored. Jutting his bayard forward, Shiro's foot slid out from beneath him in his haste. Zarkon took this opportunity to grip the halfling by the wrist before yanking_ _him forward. “You’re a good fighter, but your emotion overwhelms you and you stumble.” The Galra Emperor gave a low laugh, raising his blade. It came down. Hard. The initial shock didn’t allow anything to process in Shiro’s mind. It wasn’t until Zarkon wrenched back, breaking the bone and tearing the remainder of the tendons that scream echoed throughout the eradicated throne room, resonating from Shiro’s throat as he was shoved to the side. The Galra soldiers finally got the wreckage out from blocking the doorway and rushed in, stilling as they saw the carnage before them. “Take him to the druids. Allow them to fit him with a prosthetic so we may enter him in the Gladiator Program as soon as possible. This one’s a fighter, it’d be a shame to kill him.” Shiro looked up at the Galra before him, left hand clenching what was left of his right arm. He shook his head and let out a cry. “No! No! Kill me, you bastard! Kill me! Fucking kill me-” The halfling’s pleas were silenced by the butt of a gun._

 

**____________________**

 

Flinging upward, Shiro gasped at the memory that had played out once again. Even after two years, it was fresh in his mind, always there to haunt him. It would never go away, the mistakes he had made. Since then, he’d heard throughout the guard that Allura had stolen the Black Lion back while it had been in the process of being transported, she’d interrogated several Galra soldiers, perilously attempting to find the whereabouts of her betrothed but none of the Galran soldiers knew the “Shiro” she spoke of. For he was no longer Shirogane Takashi. He was known by one name, and one name alone.

 

Champion.

 

**____________________**

 

Long fingers ran through soft, amethyst locks. There, lying upon the floor in a lavish, lush bedroom was a large Galra Alpha and a much smaller, much younger Omega. Thace hummed, content with the soft purr that his son allowed to resonate throughout the room. The two had been sitting in silence for several hours, completely content with their lives. They had many things in common, their bloodline being the most prominent. But what mattered most to the Galran Emperor was the fact that they were both evading responsibility. The peaceful air in the room was disrupted by the main door slamming open, nearly coming off of it’s hinges at the force. “Keith!” Zarkon barked, his eyes instantly drawn to the two. Thace was leaning up against the bed frame of Keith’s extravagant trundle, the oversized piece of furniture a nesting place for the Galra whelp to sleep on each and every night. The princeling was giving his uncle an angry glare. How dare Zarkon interrupt crucial father-son bonding? And how dare he be so rude and demanding? Any _good_ Alpha would know how fragile an Omega's feelings were and would work hard not to hurt them. Alas, Keith did not see his uncle as a  _good_ Alpha.

 “You have been avoiding me. And avoiding your duty as future prince.” He barked. Keith paused, letting out a low whine as he turned in Thace’s lap, burying his face in the older Galra’s shoulder. “M’lord...He has just gotten over a heat, is there a possibility we could put this off until-” “ **Thace** .” The Emperor growled harshly, effectively shutting his subordinate up. “I have waited _two years._ In nine months, your whelp turns eighteen. He takes your place. He must be wed, he must bear pups. At the very least he must be bred and waiting.” Zarkon’s voice was angry and impatient. He was sick of waiting for Keith to be ready, he was sick of the Omega blowing him off. For two years, he'd tried to be patient with his nephew and for two years the pup took advantage of his kindness. The Galran Emperor sighed harshly, glaring down at the young Galra before him. “Thace...Brother...I have waited as long as I can, I have pushed this off to the last moment. He must make his decision _today_ .” cymophane tinted eyes glowed with impetuosity. Keith turned his head, large ears flattening against his head as he let out a fierce growl. “I will not marry him! I am simply a knot whore to him, I will never bear his hellspawns!” The princeling barked. Thace chided his son for the disrespect shown toward the Emperor, nothing more than a mere scold. He couldn't find it in his heart to properly punish his whelp seeing as he knew how upset the entire situation made him. But it seemed as though the emperor had been entirely fed up with Keith's disrespect. In a rash decision, Zarkon strode forward. He gripped the whelp by the back of his neck, forcing the Omega’s natural reaction to make him fall limp. Zarkon yanked him up harshly, Thace following soon, wishing to protect his young but also very aware of the dire consequences he would suffer if he dared reprimanded his Emperor. A fearful whimper escaped the princeling as he stared at the overpowered Alpha before him. “You _will_ marry Sendak. And soon.” He growled out. But the mention of his betrothed only ignited the whelp's rage and he lashed out at his superior with spiteful words. “I will _not._  I would rather die than commit to that obnoxious Alpha whore. You wish me to give him my virginity when his infidelity is apparent and I will _die_ first! _”_ He spat, curling into himself at the strong scent omitted from his uncle who was aware that he'd been abusing his power not only as an Alpha, but as an emperor. “If you do not….Then you will lose your placement. You will work with the slaves in the confines- no!....You will be enrolled in the Gladiator Program. And you will fight for your right to live.” He finally decided. Keith’s eyes widened and he shook his head. “You cannot do that to me!” He cried. “I can do whatever I please, I am the gods damned emperor.” He barked. “So tell me and tell me now. When will you be ready to bear Sendak’s young?” Keith averted his gaze, swallowing hard. “...At no time will I bear the hellions of that knot head.”

 

**____________________**

 

Shivers wracked through his meager frame as the chill of the concrete turned his skin to ice. He’d done it, his uncle had actually done it. He sent him down to the cells. It was custom for the newbies in the Program to be roomed on their own, but soon he would be placed in a cage with another. The aliens that fought there were ruthless. They were blinded by blood lust. If he was tossed into a cell with an Alpha, he would not survive. It had been three days. The body that was born to sleep in silky, feathery comfort was lying, motionless - save for his harsh trembles -, and naked on the concrete flooring of the lower deck. He couldn’t survive like that, but he could not give himself up for a cunt thirsty knot head like Sendak. He would be used for his power, used for his fertility. Tears fell from his golden eyes, all of the thoughts of his ruined future flooding his mind. He could have had it all. An Alpha, a pup, his own place sitting pretty on a throne. But he gave it up. And for what? It wasn’t as if he would ever find love and because of his decision he would die alone and pupless. Worst of all, he would suffer through heats alone for his entire life, he would never be comforted, he would be seen as a knot thirsty whore until the day he finally perished. He wailed, the cry of a distressed Omega immediately perking the interest of Alpha guards. One came to check on him and as soon as Keith caught side of the other Galra, he barked a command as if he had any right to anymore. "My uncle! Fetch my uncle! Please, I _need_ to speak to my uncle!" Used to taking orders from the - former - princeling, Zarkon was informed and soon enough he paid his Omega nephew a visit.

 

Keith perked, sitting up and turning to meet the eyes of his uncle and he whined loudly. “Please, sire, I beg of you. Please give me my placement back.” A low grumble - similar to a chuckle - left the Galran Emperor. “Are you ready to marry your betrothed.” It was more of a command than a question, but Keith denied. “I cannot!” He barked. Zarkon wrinkled his nose in disgust and reached through the bars, gripping the whelp by his fringe and pulling him forward. “You have no choice! Do you think anyone else would want to mate a halfling like you? Do you think any Alpha in his right mind would actually want to knot such a snide, disrespectful **_bitch_ **?! You could _never_ achieve a mate who would care for you as well as Sendak would, despite his blatant perfidy!” He barked. Tears flowed down Keith's smooth cheeks, pooling on his jaw before falling and noiselessly impacting the stone floor. “I can! I will!” He whimpered, staring at his uncle. His eyes were filled with pain and betrayal but the words he’d spoken struck the Galran Emperor with an epiphany. “Prove it to me.” He challenged, scoffing at the whelp’s confused whine. “Prove to me that you can get an Alpha to bed you, bond you, and pup you.” He clarified. “And when you do, you and your new mate will live the high life, in luxury. I will revive your placement. You’ve got until you turn eighteen. Any longer than that and you will remain a slave until you’re inevitable demise.” He grumbled. “But I-” “And don’t even attempt to contact me again until your tight little belly is fat with child.” He released the whelp, standing once again before taking his leave.

 

Once again laying upon the cold concrete, Keith’s wrathful glare tormented the blackness ahead of him. He would prove his uncle wrong, he would take his rightful place back, and he would find a suitable Alpha for himself. Far more suitable than Sendak could dream to be. An Alpha that would actually care for him and their child, an Alpha who would kiss the ground he walked on. He was on a mission.

 

And he would die before he failed.

 

End Chapter One

TBC

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so that's the end of Chapter One. Chapter Two will be posted in three days. Once again, I post on Wednesdays and Saturdays around noon - Chicago Time Zone - and this fic will be completely posted by the 20th of this month. 
> 
> As stated at the beginning, I need a beta. If you're up for the task, please contact me at BaoziiBoi@gmail.com. Please actually know what you are doing, I am looking for someone who can fix all sorts of grammatical errors, mainly when it comes to comma placement... 
> 
> Constructive criticism is welcomed, I hope you enjoyed. If you liked it, please let me know in the comments! The positive support makes it all that more fun for me. Thank you for reading, and I will be back this Saturday!
> 
> -Maouru


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to apologize for the delay. I didn't have time to edit and revise properly this weekend, it had been much more hectic than I thought it would've been. I'll be back on my regular schedule this Wednesday. I hope this chapter lives up to expectation and I want to thank everyone for the support it's been getting! I feel as though I've gotten a good turn out for my first fic posted on here. I hope to continue, thank you all so much!

Chapter Two

 

A fortnight. He'd been lying alone for an entire fortnight. But it was not wasted time, oh no. He was planning and practicing. Planning on how to approach his fights and practicing his camouflage. He'd been ever so graciously informed that he'd be sharing a cell with the Champion, any day now. He knew what they were doing; they were waiting until after the Champion's next fight. It was the time when he'd be the most blood thirsty, the most violent. He was sure his uncle wanted to watch him suffer, a punishment for the years he disrespect. No matter, he would deal. Bear his neck in submission and claw the male's eyes out if he got too close.    
  
Several stories were tossed about between cells about the champion. Some saying he was a huge monster with razor sharp claws and spikes, others that he was small and muscular with huge fangs. But in all of them, it was said he had a medal arm — the right one — and a scar across his face. The champion had been fighting in the Gladiator Program for two years.  He knew the ropes, he could manipulate the system. He was feared and respected among the other prisoners, a born fighter, and a huge Alpha. Huge in every aspect of the word. Keith wasn't ready. He had a minimalistic defense system and wouldn't be able to fight the Champion. And his greatest fear was the fact that if the rumors were true and the champion really was an Alpha, then there would be no one to stop him from pinning Keith to the dirty floor of what would soon be their shared cell and breeding him dry. A shiver wracked down the young halfling's spine. He swallowed hard, pacing back and forth in his cell as he contemplated what he could do. There wasn't much, honestly.    
  
Large lavender ears perked at the sound of his cell opening and he looked over to see his father. Thace looked like a wreck, dark circles hardly keeping the red rings around his eyes hidden. Keith shot forward, clinging to the older Galra and reveling in the familiarity of his scent. He'd missed his father. He'd missed the times that they'd rough house with each other, pinning one another to the floors and nipping in faux spite. The times they'd lay on the floor and stare up at the ceiling, talking for hours. The times they'd lay, cuddled up, asleep in the Omega's bed together. Some may have seen it as borderline incestuous but in all honesty, it was simply a great bond between father and son.    
  
It took everything he had in him not to bawl his eyes out right then and there. Keith knew that he couldn't show weakness, he couldn't cry. He'd made a decision and at that point he was suffering  the consequences, something he would do with his head held high. His father broke their comfortable silence first, pulling Keith back to look him in the eye. "I'm trying the best I can to talk him out of it, I really am. My brother is stubborn, bull headed. He doesn't want to budge." The older Galra sighed heavily, clearly distressed from the situation. Keith pulled one of Thace's hands from off of his shoulder and cradled it in both of his smaller ones. "I'm nearly eighteen, father. I made a decision and now I'm dealing with the consequences to come. I will be back by your side before the years end, that I promise you." The words that he'd spoken were quiet , yet full of determination. He had his mind set on a goal and he would achieve it.    
  
Little did the Galra whelp know, his father was fully aware of his son's plight and did not approve in the slightest. Thace shook his head, pulling Keith into another embrace. "You cannot. These aliens here, these monsters...they are far worse than Sendak. You mustn't allow any of them to pup you, Keith the child would be an abomination." Thace looked down to his son and ran his long fingers through the tangled tufts of matted amethyst. Thoughts were racing through the — former — princeling's head. It was his only opportunity to gain his placement back, there was no way he'd have a chance at escaping and what would escaping do for him anyway? He'd lose his placement, his home... His father. Thace had been Keith's support system since day one. He'd taken Keith in after his mother rejected him. What human in her right mind would want a disgusting purple baby with big ears and glowing yellow eyes? None, Keith was sure. Thace brought him home to live with the Galra, in an extravagant home, never a care in the galaxy. He'd never experienced the feeling of hunger or exhaustion. He'd never wanted for anything and he'd never felt real pain. Or real loneliness. But now, he would have the taxing privilege of dealing with each of those unwanted feelings. He'd already been lonely, he'd already been exhausted, hungry, and all he'd wanted since he'd gotten there was to gain his rightful place back. Soon he would understand real pain and real sufferance.    
  
Thace's voice pulled him back into reality with a stern tone. "You will wait. Wait for me and I will convince my brother that this is all unnecessary. You will not allow any of these monsters to so much as touch you and soon enough you'll be back by my side. Your mother hadn't finally decided to allow me to pup her with you until she was twenty three, I feel as though you deserve the same privilege. You're but a whelp, important decisions such as this should not be made by a whelp." He was rambling. Thace always rambled when he was distraught and seeing his father in such a state hurt him. Keith mauled things over. He only had nine months until his deal with Zarkon expired. He shoved his face into Thace's shoulder and whimpered pitifully, confiding in his father as he always had in the past. But the problems he held now were much more severe than being bored or having older Galra tease him. "Father...daddy, I don't know what to do..." He sniffed harshly, tears cascading down his face in waterfalls of agony. "I don't wanna die a slave, I don't wanna. Please..." He clung to the older Galra helplessly, sobbing uncontrollably. He couldn't live like this, he couldn't keep up this lifestyle. He just wanted to leave.    
  
"I just wanna come home." He whimpered. A shuddering sigh left the Galra Prince as he held his son in a tight embrace. "I'll take care of it, my son...I promise you I will." His voice was strained, weak. It was obvious that he was fighting back tears, that he was trying to be strong for his whelp. He was the only a pup, a baby, he didn't deserve to be put through this. Thace agreed that Keith needed to watch his words, bite his tongue and learn to bow his head. But to force him to choice between slavery or a non-consensual marriage was unacceptable. The Prince knew that he'd have to talk sense into his older brother, there was no other way. Thace kissed Keith on the head and grasped the boy's face. "I'm going to send for you some clothing. Be good, be safe. I love you, Keith." He mumbled, nuzzling the boy momentarily. "I love you, father." The whelp's voice was but a whimper, hardly audible but easily heard by Galran ears. Reluctantly, Thace took his leave and left Keith with a powerful feeling of abandonment. 

 

**____________________**

 

It wasn’t that Zarkon didn’t expect to hear from his brother again, but he wasn’t expecting the hostility that Thace would carry with him. A dark growl left the younger Galra as soon as the guards were out of sight. It took everything in him not to pounce on the Emperor and slaughter him right there. Of course the Prince knew that he didn’t have what it took to kill his older brother, normally. But with all of the adrenaline coursing through his veins, he just might be able to give Zarkon a run for his money. “I want my son back, brother.” The younger Galra growled in agitation, hackles risen. There was a smirk on Zarkon’s face, full of exasperation and irritability. “You know I cannot go back on his punishment, Thace.” The Emperor growled, beginning to get annoyed. He was exhausted with the topic of his nephew. Tired of being the “bad guy” because of the whelp’s decision. But, Thace was persistent. “Give him a chance!” “I’ve given him two years worth of chances! Yet here we are. I finally put my foot down after years of asking, begging even, and you act as though you didn’t see this coming. I’m far more lenient with Keith than I am my own son and I’m tired of him manipulating that.” Zarkon ended his speech with an exhausted huff as he sat down on his throne. 

 

Thace was pacing back and forth in front of his brother, chewing on his bottom lip as he lost himself in thought. He glanced over and finally sighed, shaking his head. “I don’t understand this, brother. He doesn’t need Sendak in order to rule.” the Prince grumbled. The older glanced over and glared in annoyance. “But he does need an Alpha-” “I’ll be his Alpha!” The man barked impulsively. Thace shook his head a moment and sighed. “Just temporarily, until he finds someone.” He clarified, covering his mouth with the back of his hand as he thought further. Zarkon stood again and approached, resting a hand on his younger brother’s shoulder and sighed, himself. “You’ve been working this job for far too long, little brother. You no longer need to work yourself, your heir should take your place.” He swallowed thickly and stepped back. “But his dynamic prevents him from working efficiently. He could hold his place, but Sendak is the only eligible Alpha we have to offer. All of our other Alpha’s are mated and unfit. It’s the only option. But he’s not compliant, he’s refused me directly. Thace, you and I both know that it is considered treason. He is unwilling to take responsibility and marry his betrothed, thus he is unwilling to take his proper place, it is betrayal of this empire.” Heavy sighs left the both of them in unison. Thace turned and cradled his forehead in his hand as he struggled to speak, tossing together babbles in hopes to change the mind of his older brother. “If I could only convince you that…” He trailed off, looking back at his brother with a defeated stare. But Zarkon held strong, not willing to comply. “I am sorry, Thace. But what’s done is done.”

 

Thace could no longer stomach looking at the Emperor. He’d failed his own son and all he could do was hope that his son could find a suitable mate within the Gladiator Program. But in his hopelessness, he merely hoped that Keith could survive. 

 

**____________________**

 

Blood curdling screams and cries for mercy echoed throughout the corridors. Keith wasn’t sure if it was his Galran ears or if the wails were simply that loud. They sent shivers down his spine. The Champion was fighting today and once his brawl was finished, Keith would be tossed into an enclosed space with him. A monster whose brain had broken by the horrors that was the Gladiator Program. Swallowing hard, the whelp concentrated on the situation the best his racing mind could manage. Thace had sent him proper clothing, so thankfully he wouldn’t be exposed. Next step was to camouflage himself. Allowing himself to be locked in a cage with a blood thirsty monster who must have held nothing but hatred for the Galra, would be a death wish. His goal was to survive. For the past three days he’d been working toward his human form, only achieved because his human bloodline. Amethyst hair was tainted with black as large fluffy ears diminished in size. His skin morphed into what he considered a sickly pale peach colour while seemingly siphoning all of the glorious, vibrant purple into his eyes. His claws dulled and the fleshy paw pads of his feet deflated into nothingness. This was all so strange, so  _ new _ to him. But he’d have to muddle through if he wished to sustain himself through this hardship. He wasn’t ready, no amount of preparation would ready him for his fate. He feared he’d be torn to shreds, his pleas for help ignored by Galra soldiers as the Champion made him a sickly show of vore. He was lost in his paranoia, unable to focus on anything but his own trepidation. 

 

Guards had come into the holding cell and somehow, Keith hadn’t even noticed until there were cold, metal clad hands on him. He whimpered, pulling away momentarily, eyes full of pleading. He didn’t want to die like that, he didn’t want to be mercilessly slaughtered to quench the blood thirst of some beast. He wasn’t prepared to die just yet and found himself regretting not just putting his insecurities and hatred for Sendak aside. “Don’t do this to me, please.” He whimpered quietly. Though, his plea fell on deaf ears as he was pulled from the chamber and literally dragged down the dark corridor. He cried, screamed, and struggled as well as he could. But he was much younger and weaker than the strong, skilled Galra soldiers. By the time they had reached the proper cage, Keith had completely worn himself out. His throat was raw, his eyes puffy and wet with tears. That was it, it was over. He’d die there, nothing more than a meal for a beast. One of the soldiers placed his hand on the keypad; it scanned and confirmed entry. The other guard that had been walking with them held his gun forward and Keith cried further. He wanted to beg them to shoot him, kill him quickly and allow any sufferance the Champion had in store for him to be wasted. Obviously, they could not do such a thing and Keith was flung carelessly into the pen. The stone floor was cold against his face and he reveled in the feeling as he knew he would soon be greeted with white hot agony that would have him supplicating for death.

 

No movement was made by the halfling. The guards had left him and he no longer had any sort of comfort source. For a long time everything in the enclosure was quiet. The only thing heard was the breathing of another. Was the Champion...asleep? Was he being ignored? What was happening? There was nothing he could do, he was too afraid to move. What if the Champion thought he was already dead and only wished for fresh prey? What if he couldn’t see on less Keith moved? Images of a horrid, vile creature with multiple black eyes and growing tusks. It elicited a whimper from him and quickly he covered his mouth with both hands. A rustling behind him alerted his attention and panicked tears fell from his eyes. He’d moved. He’d moved and now, the footsteps behind him were growing closer. They were heavy and loud in his ears. A strained cry left him as the junction of his elbow was grabbed. Vibrant eyes squeezed shut in his terror as his other hand balled into a fist and pushed itself into his chest. He spoke only two words, praying to any deity that could hear him that his last wish be granted. “Mercy, please.” He begged, tears stinging behind his eyes. 

 

The last thing Keith had expected was to hear a soft voice. Gentle, even. “No way…” Ametrine eyes opened just enough to peak before growing wide. Before him was a man. A  _ human _ man. The hand that held onto Keith’s arm was made of metal. It looked like one of the prosthetics he’d seen on Galra shoulders.  _ The druids… _ He thought as he glanced back up. Just like in the stories, along with his metal arm, there was a scar running across the bridge of the man’s nose. But the rest of his features seemed to soften when the whelp looked him in the eyes. Once again, the man began to speak. “You’re a…” “...Human?” Keith took on the sentence, questioning his own eyes.  _ This  _ was the Champion? Did he turn into some sort of hell beast when in battle? Or were all of the stories he heard exactly that; stories? Moments passed before either spoke and suddenly, the former princeling found himself wrapped in a tight embrace. It wasn’t too tight, more so comforting. Safe and secure. But in his confusion, it was hard to relax. “It’s been years since I’ve seen another human. I mean...I think so…” He mumbled in a hushed tone. The Champion shoved his nose in the crook of Keith’s neck, inhaling hard. “And an Omega, no less.” The man mumbled. Keith’s body went taut as he shook violently. There it is. Not the  _ blood  _ lust he’d been expecting but definitely  _ lust _ . Or at least, he thought. But there was nothing moving past a simple hug. No wandering hands, no kisses on his neck, no grinding against him. Just, a slight squeeze. “I know it’s strange but...I just want to hold you for a while. It’s been so long.” He heard the Champion mumble in his shoulder. So, Keith complied, carefully wrapping his arms around the man’s neck as he settled. The whelp toyed with the male’s white forelock, tugging dried blood out of the strands. It was bothersome. He knew that this man had killed, mere minutes before they’d met. But he couldn’t find it in his heart to be angry or upset. This was for survival, not by choice.

 

**____________________**

 

Hours passed. The duo had taken to the lumpy cot in the room that Keith would have to get used to. He sat next to the Champion, whose name he’d learned was Shiro, and the two sat in utter silence. It was strange. A day earlier, Keith would never had thought that he’d be leaning against the Champion, a creature that he thought would kill him. He knew that things would’ve been very different if he hadn’t taken on a human form. In the past few hours, Shiro had expressed his very prominent rage against the Galra. Keith knew that Shiro was angry, and rightfully so but, it terrified him. He didn’t know if he could keep that form while he slept and he didn’t even want to think about what would happen if the Champion woke to meet a Galran whelp before him. It was best not to think about it too much and rather get some rest. The day had been long, the lights were turned off to simulate night time, and Keith had worn himself out with all of his worrying. 

 

Though the cage was cold, Shiro was warm. And he chased sleep, catching it easily for the first time since he’d been locked up. He leaned on the other man, content in the same way he’d been when he’d leaned against his father. An epiphany ran through his mind for a brief moment before exhaustion took him and he fell limp against Shiro’s side.

  
  


End Chapter Two

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, thank you for reading.  
> I still don't have a beta, if you are up to the task - especially if you are good with comma placement - I would love to see about working with you! Please contact me at BaoziiBoy@gmail.com. Thank you everyone for the support, chapter 3 will be posted this Wednesday~ so, until then.
> 
> -Maouru


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh I'm such a bad admin, taking an extra day to post  
> Sorry guys, I just had the worst migraine all day yesterday, and it didn't help that I had to go to work.  
> This chapter, I feel, is kind of long, so hopefully that make's up for it.  
> I'm trying to edit the next chapter now, so that it won't be late this Saturday.  
> But anyway, we're half way through this one already! How exciting.  
> Since this one is already half way over, soon I'll finish writing Hideaway and I'll be able to post it!  
> I'm really hyped for that one heh.  
> Anyway, here's this and once again I apologize for the delay!

Chapter Three:

 

Many days had passed since Keith was tossed into a pen with the Champion. Many Galra would come to watch not only them, but all of the other’s in the Gladiator Program as well. They were animals, trapped in cages to be marveled at and taunted. Keith often found himself absent mindedly pacing back and forth for hours on end, only to have Shiro stop him and ask if everything was alright. Of course he’d say yes, but the truth was that it wasn’t. And it wouldn’t be for a long time if he didn’t find a proper Alpha.

 

Other things happened in those days as well. He learned that the Champion’s full name was Shirogane Takahiro. One night, while the two lay there, Shiro had explained to Keith exactly what had happened to him to land him in that cell. Why he was missing an arm, where his scar came from, everything was explained. Keith was notified that Shiro had been in an arranged marriage as well but, Shiro had been looking forward to it. The woman’s name was Allura, she'd be a beta female, and Shiro’s childhood best friend. They'd grown up together and had been extremely close, but Shiro hadn’t seen her in years and he knew that he never would again.

 

Nothing in the galaxy would ever bring him to say it, but every time Shiro spoke of his past, it hurt. It hurt to hear how much he'd missed his home and how he'd never wanted any of this. In all reality, it filled Keith with an overwhelming feeling of guilt. He'd had a choice, he'd been able to choose between marrying his betrothed or becoming a slave. He knew that Zarkon was a bad Alpha. He was dirty, he was abusive, unfaithful. Keith didn’t want his whelps to grow up with a father like that.

 

No, Keith knew what kind of Alpha he wanted for his puppies. He wanted a strong Alpha who would protect their young, who would stay faithful to Keith, and love both Keith and their pups unconditionally. Sendak wouldn't do that, he would use the Princeling for social status and breeding purposes. Many Galra Alpha’s acted on instinct rather than anything else, seeing as in Galra culture, it wasn’t important to teach young Alphas to not to act on their primal instinct.

 

Over the years, Keith had heard stories about other planets and the way they worshiped Omegas, seeing them as holy creatures. Many species viewed Omegas as beings that should’ve been respected and adored. Why couldn’t he find an Alpha like that? An Alpha who was respectful and cared for him, who would respect his boundaries and be fine with just be okay with being in his presence. An Alpha like….

 

An Alpha like Shiro.

 

Keith perked up and glanced toward the other halfling. Was that it? Was he falling for a man that he’d only known for a few days? The whole situation made him feel weird. Shiro had a fiance that he loved. Shiro was interested in _females_. It felt so strange. Was it because Shiro was the only Alpha he’d ever met who treated him with an ounce of respect, despite his dynamic, outside of his own father? Yeah, that was probably it. Shiro seemed to be able to sense what Keith was feeling, he would back off whenever he felt a hostility on the Omega and he would stay silent whenever he felt that Keith wished for solidarity. It wasn’t usual for Keith to feel so comfortable around any other Alpha but Thace, and yet, he’d been sleeping on Shiro’s chest for the past couple of nights.

 

**____________________**

 

“Keith, you’re staring at the wall again.” Shiro recited for the umpteenth time. Amethyst eyes blinked before he stared back at the male and sighed. That’s right, he had been doing that a lot lately, staring at nothing and losing himself in thought.

 

He closed his eyes and leaned back onto Shiro’s real arm. “I’m sorry… I know you hate it when I do that.” He mumbled his apology, looking to his side as he felt Shiro’s arm wrap around him. It was comforting, to say the least.

 

There was a long period of comfortable silence, Keith found himself falling in and out of consciousness. It’d been that way ever since he’d been deemed a “slave.” The only indication of the time of day was whether the lights had been on or off. It was easy to just stop caring and sleep. But then again, maybe he should be training. He _was_ in the **_Gladiator Program_ **. At any moment he could be taken out to fight.

 

And just as that thought crossed his mind, his attention was called to the door of the cage opening and a guard calling for him to approach. Keith’s attention instantly turned to Shiro, whom he looked at with a terrified expression. Shiro grimaced, unable to hold Keith’s gaze. The Galra soldiers were growing impatient with him, giving him no choice but to approach, with caution of course.

 

As soon as he was within arms length, one of the soldiers reached in and yanked him out of the safety of his cell and began to drag him down the corridor. He felt like there were thousands of questions running through his mind. What was going on? Where were they going? Had he been called for by Zarkon or Thace?

 

**____________________**

 

The horrid truth had been revealed to him when he was tossed in a small room with several other slaves. The room was dark and cramped, he couldn’t really see any of them, but he could _feel_ them. Their uneven breaths, their shaky movements, the chattering of their teeth. All of it. He didn’t know how long they’d stood there in that tight, dark place. But when the door was opened again, Keith felt an armored hand grip his wrist and pulled him out with enough force to yank his arm out of the socket.

 

Before he was able to properly process exactly what was going on, he’d been tossed carelessly into an arena. He glanced around, noticing the hundreds of pairs of eyes on him. Yellow, glowing with interest. So this was the Gladiator Program. All he was doing now was waiting. He glanced around, noticing no weaponry for him to use, absolutely nothing to protect himself with. A match of pure strength, something Keith knew he had little of.

 

Another creature was tossed out at the other end of the arena, just as carelessly as he had been. The creature was tall, muscular, with nearly stark white skin and dark fur. The creature’s eyes were focused in directly on him, and a smirk presented itself on his face. And that’s when it all began.

 

The creature rushed forward, somehow able to slump down and chase him around the arena. Keith did his best to outrun it, in the end being batted to the side with of the creature’s large paws. Claws pierced his flesh, tearing the derma and sending him flying before a stray pillar stopped him in mid air. He fell to the floor, struggling to get up. The large alien stood on his hind legs once more, walking toward him with leisure. Immobile, Keith was unable to scramble away in time and was captured easily. He was raised into the air by his opponent, showed off to the crowd before he would inevitably be crushed in the creature’s paw. He had no chance, there was nothing, he was going to die during his first fight. Keith glanced around, terrified.

 

Somehow his eyes landed on someone familiar. Thace was there, staring at him with a look of determination. His father’s gaze turned from him and Keith followed it. There, on the other side of the arena, was several scattered pieces of broken glass. That was it, that was all he needed. He looked back to Thace, fear still apparent in his eyes but also masked in a haze of his resolve. Taking a deep breath, Keith half shifted.

 

A human with several Galra features. Large purple ears, his hands returned to the purple hue, fading into paler human skin tone as it ran up his arm. His feet did the same. With his claws, his back paws as well, he would be more agile and able to escape. He turned over in the creatures forepaw, climbing down it’s arm and jumping off. With these features, Keith too was able to run on all fours, making him faster.

 

The beast immediately chased him, following Keith wherever he led it. He stood in front of one of the several pillars that had been placed around the arena, moving at the last moment and allowing the beast to run head first into the stone column. The halfling made a break for the scattered glass, panicking slightly at the sound of the monster behind him catching up at a terrifying speed. He skidded to a stop, cutting his side on the remnants of the brittle, translucent substance. Picking up the largest shard he could find, he gripped it tightly, even after he felt it cut his skin.

 

Keith suddenly found himself back in the grasp of the alien, being squeezed harshly. He coughed, gasping for any air he could call into his lungs. Wrenching his arm back, he embedded the shard in the creature’s paw, successfully escaping the monster’s grasp. Pulling the glass back out of the wound as he climbed up the creature’s arm. He was almost there, so close to victory and temporary safety. But that would be too easy, wouldn’t it?

 

The alien grasped at him, clawing over the already torn skin on his back, causing Keith to slip and fall back to it’s feet. Keith growled, turning tail to run farther away. Once again, the creature followed suit. He couldn’t do much more than grasp the makeshift weapon and pray for an opening. He glanced back to Thace, who no longer held that look of determination, more so one of terror. Even his father knew that he would die in that arena.

 

He was sick of running, of trying to hide. He couldn't run away forever and now it was time to hold his ground and _fight._ And he did exactly that. He was shaking horribly, barely able to keep his hold on the glass in his right hand. He slowly got down on all fours and charged straight for the rampaging beast. It was a battle of wills, a battle that he could not lose.

 

Keith used the powerful muscles in his back legs to propel himself forward, successfully tackling the creature and pinning it. He raised the glass shard up, holding it in both hands before bringing it down hard. He pulled it back up forcefully before bringing it back down over and over and over again. He didn’t stop, he couldn’t stop. Not even as his opponent lay dead under him, he continued to assault the limp corpse.

 

**____________________**

 

The crowd had gone wild, feeding off of the brutality and gore that the halfling provided with each stab he made at the mutilated cadaver. Each time he brought the shard down, Keith let out a pained grunt, unable to focus on anything but survival. This continued for several minutes before the former princeling finally realized that there was nothing more to do. He gasped for air, looking at the dark red blood covering the entire length of his forearms. His Galra features faded and he stood, stumbling away from the dead body in a panic.

 

Two soldiers took him away, forcing him to limp back down the darkened corridor, only lit by hints of luminescent purple and the yellow glow of their eyes. Keith was tossed to the ground, once again. He backed himself into the nearest corner, unable to process where he was as he panicked, hands clasping over his ears as he cried in both pain and realization. He’d just killed another living creature, a creature that had been going through a worse hell than he. Being pulled into a sudden embrace caused him to thrash about, screaming in garbled words. He could hardly form a sentence through his panic, simply pleading that he be spared.

 

“Keith, it's me! Its Shiro.” The comforting voice made it’s way into the Galra halfling’s ears and he settled, looking up with tear riddled eyes as he clung to the Alpha, pitiful whimpers of gibberish leaving him.

 

Shiro’s voice rumbled, causing reverberations in his chest and calming Keith little by little with each word. “You’re okay now, I promise. It’s all over.” A hand ran over his back, in an attempt to comfort but paused when it was greeted with blood soaked torn flesh.

 

Somehow coaxing Keith to turn, Shiro attempted to evaluate the extent of the Omega’s wounds, a nearly impossible task with nothing but a dim, lavender glow. Still, Shiro’s Alpha instincts were going haywire, screaming at him to assess the situation and calm the distressed Omega. Leaning forward, he placed his hands over the younger’s before bend down a bit to lick the still bleeding wounds on Keith’s shoulders.  

 

The Omega’s body had gone rigid, at first. Keith had to remind himself that this was Shiro and Shiro would never hurt him. Not at all, in any way. Shiro was helping. It came to him that the saliva of someone from the same species could hold healing qualities. Meaning, that since both of them were human -  well, half human at least - They would be able to help heal wounds for each other. It wouldn’t be able to completely scar over, or scab over. But Shiro’s saliva would be able to stop Keith’s potentially life threatening bleeding.

 

Sitting still, Keith allowed the Alpha to do what he needed to do. He knew that Shiro was only doing what would be in Keith’s best interest in the long run. It took a while, but eventually it all stopped. The whelp’s back was still warm and wet, but not with blood, for the most part. Shiro blew air lightly over the wounds, which aided in provisional relief of the stinging sensation Keith had been feeling.

 

Comforting arms coaxed him to stand and he did, albeit quite shakily. His trembles hadn’t discontinued, Keith wasn’t really sure if they would subside at all but at least he was safely locked in a cage with Shiro now. Just as usual, the duo got ready to sleep. Shiro laid down on the lumpy surface of the cot and Keith lied on top of Shiro, resting his head directly over the Alpha’s heart. His brain was slowly becoming conditioned to recognize Shiro’s heartbeat as a signal to induce drowsiness, which Keith didn’t mind. If it were any other way, he wouldn’t be able to sleep at all on less he passed out from exhaustion like he’d done in the fortnight before he met Shiro.

 

Human fingers eased into Keith’s tangled mess of black hair, matted with blood and sweat. The tangles were gently brushed through, as well as they were able to be without a brushing tool. It didn’t matter much, it was more for Keith’s comfort anyway and oh was it working.

 

“They’ll probably come and get you in the morning.” Shiro mumbled, his voice heavy with somnolent. But this woke Keith up, filling him with anxiety as dread weighted his stomach down. Shiro already knew what he was thinking and shook his head, gently coaxing Keith to lay back down. Eventually he did, still clearly disquiet.

 

With a small chuckle, Shiro sighed. “I mean to bandage you. They want you fit for another fight, you know?” He clarified his earlier statement. Shiro could feel the tautness in Keith’s muscles disperse almost instantly after his clarification and that made him smile a little. His head was still pounding from earlier when he’d worried over the younger. He had been genuinely afraid that he wouldn’t see his little Omega friend again but presently was scolding himself for underestimating the younger. It seemed that Keith wasn’t the powerless little Omega Shiro had previously thought he had been.

 

**____________________**

 

The night wore on and both halflings slept on each other, relying on the other’s warmth to keep them comatose for the night. It helped that they were both warm blooded creatures, it made it harder for the cold chill of the lower deck to wake them and freeze them down to their very bones. They lay in a comforting warmth, momentarily able to forget that they were both prisoners that were being made to fight.

Even if they were both asleep for it, at least for a little while they were able to pretend that they were safe. And the few moments of blissful ignorance was more than enough for them.

 

End Chapter Three

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, I have been reading your comments and I have been trying to space out dialogue better, hopefully it's better and easier to read now. I had to do quite a bit on this chapter, it is very much a revision of it's former self but hopefully it's better now. Please remember that as of right now, I am self beta-ed, so there will still be mistakes in this(especially when it comes to comma placement), so please be considerate of that.  
> As always, constructive criticism is welcomed and I hope to see everyone back this Saturday for chapter four!
> 
> -Maouru


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's this? Baozii actually got a chapter edited and ready on time? Early even?! The world must be ending because that is nearly impossible! 
> 
> lol, yeah...anyway, here's this. I'm reviewing a few Betas right now, hopefully my works will come out nicer this way. I know that I'm not a very good Beta heh...
> 
> Only two more Chapters! Then, on the 21st of this month, I can start posting Hideaway. It's got five chapters, and I also have a one shot planned to post sometime this week. 
> 
> I just want to start posting and getting my account to have something on it but I can't write more than one multi-chapter fic at a time because I get the stories jumbled. Problematic, I know. 
> 
> Anyway, I hope this chapter is adequate!

Chapter Four:

Bright, artificial light suddenly engulfed the entirety of the lower deck. Every cage, every corridor was lit up. Most of the slaves woke up instantly, conditioned to do so. If they could get back to sleep afterward, that was their own decision. But the overbearing brightness of the light was to simulate it being day.

As someone who had lived the entirety of his life on a spacecraft, Keith did not fully understand the concept of day and night. Sure, he knew basically that day meant it was time to be awake, everything was bright, and everyone was to go amongst their daily lives and night meant that it was dark and creatures were meant to sleep in order to gain energy for the next day. But other than that, he had no clue.

Never had he experienced real sunlight, never had he even seen a real sun. He didn’t know what a sunrise or sunset was nor morning or evening, and he had no concept of weather at all. Never did he learn of rain or snow, for the only thing he knew of were the stars and vast galaxies.

Keith somehow remained asleep when the lights flickered on, what woke him instead was Shiro pushing the two of them into a sitting position. It was their schedule, something that they did every single day. Keith would grumble at him, nipping his ear and telling him to lay back down. Usually, Shiro would, but today he did not, and insisted that Keith wake up right away.

The whelp was unsure as to why, that is until he opened up his eyes for the first time since he’d been oh so rudely awoken. A pair of guards had opened the door to their cell and were beckoning for Keith to come. Problem was,the Omega wasn’t able to stand on his own, he could hardly support his own weight. Every time he attempted, it felt as though he was single handedly holding up a balmera. His steps were mere staggers and he had to keep his full attention on his feet in order to concentrate and hope that he didn’t fall over and injure himself further.

It was Shiro who aided him in his short trip toward the soldiers. The two knew that Keith was wounded, but they also knew that the Champion was a violent beast. One of the Galra men had his gun raised toward Shiro, which caused the Alpha to stop in his tracks as he lightly tugged Keith behind him.

“Continue forward.” The soldier’s voice came out in a grunt, making it known that it was not the day to try and pick a fight with him. Shiro took slow, cautious steps. With each movement, he shielded Keith with his body. If he were to suddenly stumble, the soldier was liable to shoot without hesitation. And Shiro knew that he wouldn’t be able to live with himself it Keith had gotten hurt because he wasn’t careful.

Thankfully, there was no incident until the guard who wasn’t holding a gun to Shiro’s head harshly wrenched Keith from his embrace, eliciting a pained yelp from the Omega. Shiro jolted forward, held back by the armed Galra, the weapon harshly pressed against his temple. “Stand down, _Champion_.” The man used his title to mock him and it pissed Shiro off. But he was powerless.

Keith laid a hand on his arm - the right one - and Shiro looked up. “It’s okay, I’ll be fine.”

Shiro relaxed infinitesimally before backing off. He didn’t like the way those men were handling Keith. No matter what, when it all came down to it, Keith was still an Omega. He was in a fragile state. His wounds weren’t fully scabbed over, and they were liable to break open very easily. Shiro wasn’t sure if he’d survive those wounds breaking open.

The door to the cell was closed and he was restrained once again. There was nothing he could do, he was completely powerless and he hated it. What if they’d hurt Keith? What if they killed him right there in front of their cage? Shiro wouldn’t be able to do anything about it and it hurt.

When Keith and the two soldiers were out of his sight, Shiro found himself pacing around the pen. He’d done this for hours and hours upon end. Each moment that passed only caused his anxiety to rage on stronger. When would they bring him back? In everything Shiro could only hope that they weren’t hurting him. The Alpha paused, chuckling bitterly to himself when he realized that he was pacing around just like he’d seen Keith do. He finally understood why the Omega did that so often. Shiro sighed, voicing his thoughts without realizing it;

“Please, just be okay.”

 

____________________

 

Keith had been admittedly nervous when he had been collected by the guards. The first thought that came to his mind was that he’d done something wrong, but he couldn’t figure out exactly what. When he had a few moments to calm himself, he was able to think about the situation more clearly. Maybe Zarkon or Thace had summoned him. Maybe Shiro was actually right and they were taking him to be treated.

He wasn’t wrong in his last inquiry. They’d finally entered an elevating system, taking them up and beyond the lower deck. He was lead into another corridor, this one was much better lit than the one that he was used to and it hurt his eyes. He didn’t exactly know why, the “daytime” lights in the lower deck were much brighter. Maybe it was the fact that he was under the hood of his cage, but still. It hurt to look up, he stared down at his feet in an attempt to block out some of the light from attacking his eyes.

It was strange, walking into the medical bay. He’d never been there before, doctors and medicines were always brought to him in the past. But he was no longer _Young Prince Keith_ he was simply _slave_. And that wasn’t going to change for a while, if he wasn’t careful it wouldn’t ever change.

The guards led him to sit on a sterilized medical table before they left him to the doctors, allowing them to take care of what was wrong with him. He felt gloved hands moving around on his limbs, inspecting the bruises and cuts along his arms. A low growl erupted from the back of his throat when he’d felt the fingers probing at the large, deep claw marks on his back. They stung and burned with each intrusion, making him more and more uncomfortable. It ended when he barked out a yelp with such a high pitch that the doctors and nurses had to pause and gather themselves.

“Write down that they these wounds have been licked by a stud male of the same species, enacting healing capabilities.” The lead doctor had said as he glanced over at a nurse with a clipboard as she did exactly as he was told to. Keith swallowed hard, fists clenching while as he awaited the next round of fingers and possibly objects poking at him and prodding him.

There was a sudden prick in his left arm that had alerted him and he whimpered a little, tugging at his arm in annoyance, glaring at the doctor. Why would that man think it was okay to suddenly stab Keith with an unknown object? How _dare_ he? There was a small growl that left him, hostility in his dark eyes.

The doctor gave a bit of a chuckle, rubbing small circles in the area around the vein on the male’s arm. “It’s okay, it’ll make it hurt less.” He mumbled, a small smile on his face while he attempted to sooth the Omega in his time of angered discontent. It didn’t take long for Keith to feel himself fall into a haze. It made his body feel heavy and he couldn’t see quite as well.

The doctor instructed a male nurse to stand in front of Keith, supporting the droopy male as he fell forward. “Three minutes and thirty seven seconds; that’s how long it takes for the bitch male to submit to anesthetic inducement. Someone document it, _now_.” He barked out the order with slight aggression. Keith flinched from it, soon feeling the Beta nurse’s hand under the side of Keith’s jaw, massaging lightly lightly to sooth the Omega’s distress.

There was a blurriness in his vision that he’d been focused to such a degree that he’d hardly noticed the needles in the skin of his back or the thread running through his wounds. That was, until a shiver ran through him and alerted him that there was something unnatural invading his body. A strained whine left him, alerting the Beta that he’d been leaning on of his stress. A purr reverberated in the male’s chest as he ran a hand through the Omega’s hair in a lazy attempt to comfort.

“There’s blood in his hair.” The male notified. His voice was bored and uncaring. His voice had been just as dull as the fake purr he put up in attempt to calm the Omega. It sounded as though he had an obligation to do so, as if it was part of his job. And apparently, it was, because soon another nurse - a female Beta this time - was sent to get soapy water.

 

____________________

 

The whole process went by like a blur, he didn’t really remember much of what went on it was more like he had an idea rather than he’d experienced it. As soon as his wounds were bandaged up and his hair was dried, he was picked up by the pair of guards that he’d been used to. He was taken through the same path that they’d come through originally. And if he was in his right mind, he would’ve been excited to see Shiro again. But he wasn’t.

This time, surprisingly enough, he was not carelessly tossed into the cage; rather, he was coaxed in like some sort of fragile rabbit. So...It was true. Even _Galra_ Alphas could be gentle toward weakened Omegas. Once he’d finally stumbled into the cell, the door was closed behind him and the guards left.

The moment the soldiers had disappeared from sight, Shiro rushed forward, collecting the younger in his arms. “I missed you, gods I was so scared.” The Alpha huffed. But Keith didn’t understand it very well. “I wa s’only gone for lil’ bit, silly.” He mumbled, his speech slurred considerably. Shiro pulled Keith back, staring into his eyes. The Omega’s pupils were horribly dilated, he looked as though he’d just taken a huge hit of the purest Altean hallucinogen.

Shiro’s dark brows knitted together as he stared at Keith with concern. “They drugged you?” He asked in confusion, rage filling his features. Keith was completely out of it. “Tah’ doc’er...He says..’at ‘s not gonna hurt no more.” The Omega mumbled. It was clear that he was focusing extremely hard on each word that he was attempting to say, getting frustrated when he couldn’t pronounce certain ones properly.

Shiro’s expression was a mix of concern and confusion. Why would they give him anesthetic? What had they done to him? “Keith, can you turn around?” He asked carefully, running a gentle hand up and down Keith’s left arm.

“Said s’not okay tuh toush it.” The Omega warned, giving Shiro - or at least, the general direction of Shiro - a stern look as his right hand pawed at the one Shiro was running up and down his arm.

The Alpha chuckled, nodding in agreement. “Alright. I won’t touch it, I promise.” Delighted as the younger started to turn slightly, eyeing Shiro with a look that simply said _**do not touch**_. Once he’d turned completely around, Shiro was able to lift up the younger’s shirt - a new one that they must have given him - and find the white bandages. They’d been wrapped tightly around Keith’s torso, not too tight as if to restrict his breathing, though.

Loosening the pristine bandages, Shiro allowed them to fall around Keith’s waist. What he was greeted with was not what he had expected at all. Rather than sloppily cleaned wounds, there were neat stitches through each deep wound made by the claws of some formerly terrifying beast. He’d _never_ seen such close attention given to the wounds of a mere slave. Keith must have made one hell of a performance if they wanted to ensure the Omega’s survival. He ran the thumb of his right hand over one of the stitched wounds, almost instantly pulling his hand back when he heard Keith give a disapproving growl.

Wrapping the bandages back up, neatly mimicking the tidiness of the previous swathe, Shiro made sure he was gentle as not to elicit an unnecessary pain. He pulled Keith back to their shared cot, lying down on his back and allowing the smaller to lay in his normal perch atop Shiro’s chest. Within a couple of minutes, the a rumble in the Omega’s purr echoed off of the stone walls. It was music to Shiro’s ears.

“That’s good. Get some rest, baby.” The words slipped out before Shiro had even realized what he had been saying. Shiro felt as if he was about to throw up, especially when Keith shifted to look up at him. Expressionless eyes were nearly completely black from the pupil’s expansion, leaving only a small ring of dark amethyst around the edge. They peered up into Shiro’s soft grey eyes, which were wide and fully focused, filled with the fear of possible rejection.

Keith blinked slowly, as if processing exactly what was going on. But when he finally did speak, they’d been the clearest words he’d said since he’d gotten back from medical. Full of confidence he laid his cheek on the older’s sternum, keeping all eye contact.

“Please don’t stop calling me baby.”

 

____________________

 

Zarkon had been delighted with the news of his nephew’s new found brutality. The fact that Keith had killed such a large, frightening hybrid beast that Haggar had whipped up in her free time really called attention to the fact that; Omega or not, halfling or not, Keith was still of Galra blood and was just as savage. That beast had killed many and would have been sent on to fight the Champion had Keith not defeated it. How the boy had managed, Zarkon didn’t know. What he did know was that he would make it a point to attend the former princeling’s next brawl.

A knock on his door pulled his attention away from his thoughts. He narrowed his eyes, wondering who would be bothering him at this hour? He was nearly ready to settle in for the night… But it was fine, he was still awake so it didn’t matter.

“Enter.” The Emperor’s voice was loud and strong, despite his exhaustion. Lotor - Zarkon’s son - did just as he was commanded, closing the door behind him. “Father.” The Young Lord greeted, approaching the older Galra confidently. He was the only living being that could ever approach Zarkon so casually and not fear immediate retaliation. The Galra Emperor instantly knew that his whelp had something to say and this peaked his interest.

“What news have you brought for me.” It wasn’t a question, it was a command. Lotor flinched at the harshness in his father’s voice, knowing that the man was exhausted and impatient. The younger took a deep breath and stared at his sire. “I have heard from the lower deck guards that my _dear cousin_ has gotten quite close to the Champion.” His voice was full of spite and hatred.

Anyone who had been in the same room as Lotor and Keith even for the smallest amount of time knew how much discontent the two held for each other. Lotor hated Keith because of the disrespect the younger showed to his father. Keith hated Lotor because he would constantly run his mouth.

_“Keith acts prudish, but in reality he’s the biggest knot slut.” “Keith would go down on anyone if they agreed to knot him.” “Keith is such a knot whore, he’s even tried to bed me. Disgusting, right?”_

Words that Keith seethed at and Lotor would continue to spew until he'd become an adult a year prior. This little skirmish hadn’t been anything new, they’d been feuding since they were kids. It only got worse with time.

Zarkon perked in interest and glanced at his son. “Oh...Is that so?” He mumbled, looking down to the shorter with a raised brow. Lotor only nodded.

“Yes, I was told that when he was sent for to be taken to medical this morning, the guards saw him laying on top of the Champion. As if they were mates, tch. Can you believe it?” He grunted out.

Zarkon chuckled in amusement. “Any other gossip you'd wish to enlighten me with?” He teased, and the light haired Galra was quick to spout off.

Lotor’s voice came out in a harsh growl. He _hated_ talking about his cousin but he oh how he _loved_ exposing Keith as a whore. “The doctor’s evaluation from the medical bay states that his wounds had been licked by a stud male of the same species. The only access he has to anyone who could do that would be the Champion. He is also half human, so his saliva would stop the bleeding, at least.”

The Emperor let out a wry scoff. “Hm. Leads me to wonder if that tight bellied little bitch will actually spread his legs for the Champion, or reject him the way he’s done to Sendak these past few years.” Zarkon voiced his thoughts, not really thinking too much about it.

Lotor rolled his eyes. “It seems much more probable. He wouldn’t touch Sendak with a three foot stave, yet he sleeps upon the Champion’s chest as if he’s already bitched for him. What a revolting whore.” The Young Lord spat in annoyance.

There was a small moment of silence before Zarkon looked Lotor in the eyes, causing his whelp to squirm in discomfort. “Tell the Game Master to set up a match between the Champion and my nephew within the time of a fortnight. I don’t care when. But I wish for him to have at least nine days.” He decided.

The Young Lord looked at him in confusion. “Of course I will, father but… Why _nine_ days?” He asked quietly, wondering outloud.

“That’s how many months I’d given him before our deal with expired. I find it to be a good number.” The older laughed quietly, feasting upon the irony of the digit. “Leave me.” he’d said after the abrupt discontinuation of his laughter. Lotor complied instantly, exiting his father’s room to go and fulfil the task he was given.

If the rumor of Keith and the Champion growing so close was true, Zarkon wanted to do something to put a damper on their cute little slave romance. He wouldn’t let it go on unattended. It was time to truly gain revenge for the disrespect given through the years.

Keith would learn, and he would learn it soon, that Zarkon was all powerful.

And everyone else were but mere dolls in his puppet show.

 

End Chapter Four

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oo Zarkon's being nasty. ALSO!! If you guys just started watching and you've only seen Legendary Defender, I'm here to clear up info about Lotor. 
> 
> Lotor hasn't been introduced in Legendary Defender, but he'll probably appear in season two (slight spoiler here? I guess?) but anyway, Lotor is Zarkon's son, canonly in the older series. He's just in this fic as an instigator. 
> 
> snitches get stitches, Lotor. Snitches get stitches. 
> 
> Heheh, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Constructive criticism is surely appreciated! Thanks for sticking around this long!
> 
> -Maouru


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit late with the times but it's still Wednesday haha
> 
> Anyway, gonna go ahead and do this; *clears throat" 
> 
> S M U T  
> W A R N I N G 
> 
> Yes, FINALLY, they do the dab , finally. I've fixed the tags on this fic, so please read through them just in case there's stuff you're uncomfortable with. 
> 
> I cannot be held accountable for any triggers you guys have while reading this, so, don't blame me if its unappealing to you. 
> 
> Anyway, for the rest of us, I hope my porn is good. It's been a while since I've written smut, so, be considerate of that. 
> 
> Anyway; TAKE MY SIN, bye

Chapter Five:

 

“ _ Keith… Keith! Wake up!” _

 

Amethyst eyes snapped open as he jolted slightly against Shiro’s chest. The sudden voice had unsettled him and curled into the Alpha further, gripping the front of Shiro’s sark. But he heard a clicking noise that alerted him once more. The Galra whelp perked up and looked around before his eyes landed on a dark, shadowy figure at the entrance of the cage. 

 

“Keith, come here.” The voice beckoned. He stood slowly, as not to wake Shiro, before darting to the other side of the confined space. A hand cupped his cheek, rubbing light, comforting circles under his eyes and the whelp sighed in content. 

 

“Father, I've missed you.” He clung onto Thace's arm, reveling in the familiar feeling of the older Galra’s touch. Thace's other hand reached into the cage and held the sides of Keith’s face, gently guiding his whelp to look him in the eye. 

 

The two of them stared at each other for a while before Thace spoke again. “Let me see you.” He mumbled. Keith paused a moment, glancing behind him to Shiro who was still fast asleep, - if Keith didn't know any better, he would've thought the older was dead - no sign of him gaining consciousness any time soon. Turning back to his sire, he granted Thace’s request by shifting back into his natural Galra state. 

 

The Prince choked back a sob, reaching through the bars to hug Keith as close to him as he was able. “Gods, I've missed you…” The pair stood like that for a while before Thace finally drew back. “Listen, I must make haste. If Lord Zarkon finds out you were told, he will have my hide strung up on his wall.” The older Galra sighed. He glanced up and down the hallway, swallowing hard before turning to Keith once he saw that there wasn’t anyone coming up the corridor for patrol. 

 

A shaky breath left the male, feeding the growing concern deep in Keith’s belly. “In five days, you are scheduled to fight the Champion.” He’d finally spit out. He sighed, glancing around to check for guards once more. “I would've come sooner but, I hadn't heard of it myself until this morning.” Keith’s blood ran cold at the statement given. 

 

Shaking his head, he stared in disbelief. “No...How did you find out? Can you stop it?” He questioned, swallowing hard. Thace paused and shook his head. He was sure of it. The older had a saddened look about him as he sighed heavily. 

 

“Keith. There’s no way. Lotor is the one who gave the order, you know he holds more power than I.” The older sighed out. Amethyst eyes widened a bit before an expression of sheer anger took over his features. A growl left the whelp that shook Thace to the core. “That sleezy little-” He stopped himself before he’d gotten any further. 

 

Downcasting his gaze as he thought, Keith huffed. “I don’t know what to do. I cannot fight him father.” He whimpered pitifully, ignoring his father’s words to attempt to comfort. “Keith, you must! You killed Hagar’s leviathan, you can kill him too.” The older assured, a confused look washing over him when the whelp shook his head.

 

Sadness filled Keith’s eyes as they brimmed with translucent crystalline tears. “I cannot, father. I… I think,” He sighed helplessly, shrugging his shoulders in defeat. “I think I love him.” His voice came out breaking and sorrowful. He couldn’t even look up at  Thace’s shocked expression. 

 

A sigh left the older man as he forced his son to look him in the eye. Keith whimpered a bit, having trouble holding his father’s gaze. “What should I do?” He whined quietly, not wishing to wake Shiro. He couldn’t tell the Champion. There would be questions, questions that were too difficult for him to answer. 

 

Calming himself, Thace looked his whelp in the eye as he held a stoic expression. “I cannot answer that question. You must choose between your love for him and your adamancy for chastity. You know that you can’t have both. I believe in you, my son. Make the right choice.”

 

With that, Thace kissed Keith’s forehead before taking his leave. There wasn’t much time before the patrol swept through once again and Thace needn’t be caught. Shifting back into his human disguise, Keith made his way back to Shiro, laying down on his chest. He was unable to think, unable to breathe. He was restless and a sudden nausea swept through him that hit him like a truck. 

 

This anxiety attack wore down on him until the wee hours of the morning, mere tics before the bright artificial lights flickered to life, when he finally slipped into unconsciousness.

 

**____________________**

  
  


Heat engulfed his body like white hot fire, stirring in the pit of his belly as he tossed and turned on the cot beneath him.  _ The cot? Where’s Shiro? _ Were the first two thoughts in his mind upon regaining awareness. He sat up, instantly regretting it when he felt a wave of dizziness. His stomach lurched as he gagged, feeling the gruel that they were fed twice a day shift in his belly. He coughed harshly, stirring the soreness in his throat. A miserable whimper left him while he glanced around.

 

Soon, a hand fell between his shoulder blades, rubbing soothing circles there until Keith eased. “You’re okay, baby. It’s okay.” Shiro’s voice alerted him instantly and he hopped back to cling to the Alpha. He inhaled the older male’s scent before releasing a shaky sigh. Shiro’s scent was heavy. Musky and earthy. He smelled so  _ natural _ and Keith just couldn’t get enough of it. 

 

_ Oh shit.  _ The Omega looked up with wide, startled eyes. Suddenly, he shoved Shiro away with no explanation. Instant regret filled him when he looked back up to the Alpha, seeing the hurt in his eyes. Shiro looked as though he’d just been stabbed. Swallowing hard, Keith struggled a bit to find the right words. 

 

He slumped against the wall, sighing in annoyance with himself before he glanced back up. “I’m sorry, Shiro. It’s just…” He took a moment to pause and collect himself, a shade of red taking over his features. “...My heat.” He’d finally managed, turning his gaze from the other male.

 

As much as he’d come to trust Shiro in the past few weeks, he couldn’t help but feel scared. Shiro was an  _ Alpha.  _ Alpha’s acted on instinct, at least that was what Keith had witnessed. Shiro swallowed thickly, stepping back a bit. He was giving Keith a look of caution, like one would a wild animal. “I'm sorry, I'll keep away,” He mumbled before glancing to the side as his face lit up with his own shade of red. “Or I could, maybe-” 

 

“No!” The whelp shrieked, curling into himself. Shiro instantly felt a wave of guilt fall over him and he took a few steps back. Keith calmed minimally, hugging his knees to his chest as he rested his head atop them. 

 

He kept his gaze on the ground to his right as he sighed hesitantly. “I'm sorry Shiro…I know that this is going to be hard for you but, I need you not to touch me. I can't mate…I'm too scared.” He whimpered. He was afraid of Shiro. He wasn't scared in the sense that he thought Shiro would hurt him, he was scared because he thought that his inability to mate would make him less attractive.

 

But he was wrong. 

 

A chuckle left the older as he sat down a few feet in front of the Omega as he sighed. “Keith,” he started, running a hand through his hair before staring back. “It's okay. You don't have to be scared. If you say no, then it's a no.” He confirmed. Keith whimpered a little, unsure how to take it. Shiro didn't like him anymore, he was useless now. Shiro could sense the younger’s worry and it hurt. It hurt Shiro to see Keith hurt. 

 

“Listen, Keith,” he started, standing up just to sit down on the cot next to the Omega. He made sure he wasn't close enough to touch him before he continued. “I want to be with you, I want to mate with you,” he chuckled a bit, turning his own gaze in order to fight through his embarrassment. He took another deep breath. 

 

“But I'm not going to touch you if you don't feel you're ready, I'm willing to wait for that time to come…And if it never does, I think,” he glanced to the Omega who was staring at him with wide eyes. “I’d be okay just staying by your side.” He offered a smile, making a sound of surprise when Keith clung to him again. 

 

Feeling a wetness against his shoulder startled him a bit, and the shaking in Keith’s breath each time his breath hitched worried him. He was about to speak, to apologize but Keith got to it before he had the chance. “Thank you.” 

 

The Alpha paused, allowing his arms to wrap loosely around the male’s torso in hopes to calm him. “Thank you so much, Shiro. I never knew Alphas could be so understanding.” He gave a sad chuckle. 

 

Shiro wilted a bit. He wanted to know what kind of Alpha’s Keith had had experience with if they were so cruel. An Alpha was meant to protect their Omega, not scare them. That's what he'd always been taught, anyway. 

 

The two stayed that way for a while until Keith finally gave into the exhaustion that weighed upon him during his heat. And Shiro stayed put, making sure to keep the Omega from rolling off of the cot. 

 

**____________________**

 

The first two days went by okay, even though Keith suffered his usual symptoms. Some stomach cramps, general soreness in his body, being too hot. Stuff that usually went on through his whole heat. The catch was, he usually spent his heats  _ alone.  _ Being with an alpha was different, and since he was with an Alpha; as the days went on, it got much,  _ much, _ worse. 

 

The tightening in his stomach felt like it was clamping down on his organs, he felt as though he was being burned alive, and he was constantly  _ wet _ . Slick was soaking through his slacks, sliding out of him at a constant flow. His hips were aching, he felt so empty and miserable. He lied his head on Shiro’s lap, allowing the Alpha to run a hand through his hair which was dampened by his sweat. 

 

Transparent tears fell down from his eyes as he gripped the Alpha’s free hand. His breaths heaved and with each breath a whimper or pained whine would leave him. He curled into himself, wishing nothing more than to make the pain go away. He was hesitating, unable to make up his mind. He knew that there was only one way to fix his problem, a way that he was still scared of. 

 

He just couldn't bring himself to do it. 

 

His resolve lasted for three more hours, before he had finally given into the pain. He pulled himself up, clinging his arms around the older’s neck as he cried into the male’s shoulder. “Keith, calm down.” He mumbled, holding the male close, holding to keep the other from freaking out. 

 

“Fuck me.” He whimpered into the Alpha’s ear. Shiro turned his head, a breath catching in his throat as he took the time to process exactly what had been said. “Keith… No.” He shook his head, pushing the Omega back a bit. Keith let out a strained whimper, clinging to Shiro helplessly. 

 

Curling inward from another tightening pain, Keith cried out and stared up at Shiro with tears in his eyes. “I  _ need  _ you to, Shiro.” He pleaded, pushing his face into the Alpha’s chest and inhaling. The scent relieving some of the burning in his lungs and effectively distracting him from the pain in his stomach. 

 

A hand rubbed across the Omega’s back and Shiro sighed. “Keith, you're not in your right mind. I don't want you to do anything that you'll regret later, please baby. Just try get some sleep.” He muttered, hoping to smooth Keith’s whimpers. “I promise, it'll all be over soon.”

 

Keith let out a low whine as he clung to the Alpha. Maybe Shiro was right, maybe Keith needed to try and think clearly. It made him wonder why his heat had come so early. Usually it's take a clear eight weeks not six. But then again, he was stressed out. In times of extreme stress, it wasn't uncommon for Omega to go into an early heat. A more violent and forced heat that was meant to distract the Omega from the stressful situation by giving them a familiar situation to handle. In short, their body tried to trick their brain into thinking they had control of the situation. 

 

It was known to work in most situations but with how heavy the fight weighed down on him, it just wasn't going to help this time. There was only one way he would be able to stop the fight. 

 

He knew what he needed to do. But for the first time in his life, he was ready to. 

 

Warm, grey eyes stared straight into pained amethyst and Keith let out a shuddering breath. “It hurts, Shiro.” He whimpered quietly. The Alpha seemed to stir a bit, seeming less stern than before. “It hurts and I need you.” He whimpered pitifully, leaning foreword to cling to the older and allow crystal tears to fall. 

 

“Please make it stop, Shiro, I  _ need  _ you.” He cried, pushing himself further to the Alpha as he rutted against the older with a strained neediness. Shiro swallowed hard, conflicted between rational thought and instinct. But in the end, he didn't want to allow Keith to suffer any longer. 

 

A warm hand pulled Keith’s head up gently, forcing him to watch as Shiro bent down to connect their lips in a soft kiss. Keith could feel himself melting as he gripped helplessly to Shiro’s arm. 

 

After that short, chaste kiss; everything heated up. Shiro’s hands traveled along Keith’s body, memorizing every curve, every valley. Meanwhile, his tongue explored the wet cavern that was the Omega’s mouth. Keith’s hands clawed at the hem of Shiro’s slacks as he whimpered into the Alpha’s mouth. 

 

Hands slid down his torso, lightly tugging Keith’s trousers from his slim waist. Shiro’s mouth left Keith’s, trailing down the Omega’s body at a tantalizingly slow pace. Every few moments, he'd pause to suck on the soft skin of Keith’s stomach and chest, eliciting a low whine from the Omega. 

 

Keith had hardly processed it when Shiro lifted his hips, holding supporting the other halfling with strong arms on Keith’s back. Keith whimpered in confusion, a confusion that was soon replaced with burning pleasure as Shiro’s tongue explored Keith’s entrance with the same curiosity he'd explored Keith’s mouth. 

 

Keith's slick was sweet, intoxicatingly so. Shiro had once read somewhere that an Omega’s slick could double act as an aphrodisiac, and he wasn't sure if it was the power of suggestion or the truth but one thing was for sure; it was working. 

 

He would've gone further, if Keith hadn't become so impatient. He'd used his foot to push Shiro’s shoulder back as a way to grab the Alpha’s attention. He whined, voice full of pleading. Shiro gave in, with the single thought of  _ maybe next time. _

 

Lowering the Omega back onto the cot they shared, leaning over the younger. Shiro attacked him with a sloppy, messy kiss. Their teeth clashed together as each fought to devour the other. Shiro's human hand reached between Keith’s legs, cautiously toying with the Omega’s cunt, causing the smaller to twitch. Low grumbles left the latter as he rutted back against the older’s hand and gripped Shiro’s shoulder to gain leverage. 

 

“Put it in, already.” He whined, causing the Alpha to pause. Would that be a good idea? Wasn't he supposed to stretch it? He was about to say something but Keith’s annoyed whimper cut him off and he sighed. He reached into the front of his slacks and coaxed his member out. Shiro was rock hard, he’d never been so turned on in his life. Not even Allura was able to get him like that.

 

A shudder ran through Keith’s body when he felt a warmth nudging at his entrance and he subconsciously bucked back against it. Shiro let out a strangled groan as he pushed into the Omega’s warm heat. The inner walls clamped down on him, worrying him that he was hurting Keith. 

 

A cry of pleasure left the bitch male as his nails dug into Shiro’s back, etching harsh, red lines in the skin that raised up in angry welts. Shiro hissed, somehow loving the sting.

 

Both gasped in unison the moment Shiro bottomed out; Keith from the overwhelming sensation of being stuffed full and Shiro from the way Keith’s body naturally tightened around him. Keith rocked his hips, coaxing the older to do the same and Shiro did. 

 

They started out panicked and rushed, there had never been any order, no drawing all of the way out before slamming back in. Shiro simply found himself a clumsy rhythm and went hard and fast. It'd been far too long since he'd been able to perform such and act and he was desperate. He glanced down to see Keith, who was completely out of it. He was a whimpering, moaning mess, tongue lolling out of his mouth, eyes open and full of tears. 

 

Enclosing him in a tight embrace, Shiro panted into the younger’s ear; hardly able to slow himself. “Does...does it hurt, baby?” He asked in a low voice, using all of his concentration to focus and form words. Keith whined in his ear, causing the Alpha to worry a bit further. 

 

Another yelp left the Omega and Shiro slowed once more, but he hadn't stopped yet. It took all of his self control to keep from covering Keith’s mouth and rutting into him as hard and deep as possible until he’d had his fill, something he was a afraid of. But his worry faded a bit when Keith nipped him and cheered him on with the quiet gasp of “ _ faster!” _

 

It didn't take long for Shiro could feel that Keith was getting closer. How could he tell? Well, seeing as the inside of the Omega was squeezing impossibly tight around him, drawing his own orgasm closer. 

 

“Gah- Keith, I'm,” the Alpha gasped out. Keith was hardly able to form words, he was on cloud nine. But there were still a few words left in him. “Inside! Shiro, do it inside!” He begged the older. Shiro had to take a moment to process, but before he could, Keith continued begging. 

 

Keith’s eyes locked with his, full of an intense need. “Shiro, I want them! I want your pups!” He nearly screamed. “Cum and pups, Shiro! I want your cum and pups!” He cried, wrapping his legs around Shiro’s waist when he felt the Alpha speed up. Somehow, hearing Keith say such things, it made Shiro lose all rational bought and give into his true  _ raw  _ Alpha nature. 

 

He slipped his free hand to Keith’s neglected length, toying with the Omega’s prick until he felt Keith's body convulse. The younger tossed his head back, releasing strings of impotent seed while his lithe body constricted around Shiro with a suffocating tightness. 

 

A pain rang through the Omega as he let out a yelp. Something was stretching him, forcing him open to make way for something even thicker that Shiro’s cock, which was both absolutely amazing and horrifically terrifying. Shiro discontinued the thrusting of his hips as, well, whatever it was continued to grow inside of him. The blinding pain of the stretch was slightly soothed when Shiro nuzzled against his neck until he tilted his head to the side. Shiro lifted Keith’s head and suddenly another, new pain joined the one he'd been slowly trying to grow used to. 

 

Shiro’s teeth dug deep into the side of his neck, right next to his nape. And in retaliation, Keith did the same through the calling of instinctual nature. 

 

Suddenly, white hot fluid spilt into him. He could  _ feel  _ it inside of him. He could feel it move further into his body and settle in a pool in his belly. Keith sighed in relief, moving to back away from the older only to be stopped by a horrid burn at his entrance and a harsh yelp from Shiro.

 

“Keith, oh gods! Please don't move.” the Alpha pleaded. Keith did, only to pant heavily, slightly panicking. “Shiro is that...did you knot?” He asked quietly, staring at the Alpha with fear and confusion.” Shiro nodded, unable to lift his head as he swallowed thickly. 

 

“The swelling should go down but, if you try to pull off, neither of us are gonna win.” He panted. Keith swallowed hard, reaching around the older’s neck to lightly coax him down into a kiss. It wasn't as violent as the ones they'd shared while they'd mated, no. It was much more similar the first. Sweet and soft. 

 

Shiro wrapped his arms around the younger’s waist, carefully picking Keith up to switch their positions. He lied on his back, allowing Keith his usual perch. The two somehow passed out, Shiro’s knot still locking them together. 

  
  


**____________________**

  
  


A startled bark left Keith when he woke up. He was on his back and he felt undoubtedly dirty. He felt strange, his belly felt full but in a good way. Something nudging against his stomach which made him strangely angry. Strangely...protective. 

 

Lifting his head, he noticed Shiro sniffing and nudging at his belly, looking slightly panicked. It made Keith uneasy. “Shiro...what are you doing?” He questioned, resting a hand on Shiro’s head and toying with the white strands of the forelock. 

 

The Alpha released a pained breath, swallowing hard. “Puppy.” He mumbled. Keith raised a brow, staring at the male in slight confusion before he was actually able to process what was said. “...pup...puppy?” He reiterated. Shiro nodded solemnly. 

 

He sat up quickly, hugging Shiro’s head to his chest as he let out a chuckle of surprise. “I'm pregnant?...I'm pregnant!” He barked happily. He wanted to know why he couldn't feel it, but he knew that Altean Alpha’s were able to sense the young they were to sire mere hours after conception. Usually, Galran Omega’s could feel the pups after a few days but Altean Alpha’s were extremely hypersensitive to their own young. 

 

Keith was laughing, obviously excited. Now that he knew, he couldn't recall a single time in his life when he was happier. He was going to have a  _ puppy _ , his very own  _ baby _ , and the excitement he felt made him regret waiting so long. He was so excited! …So why wasn’t Shiro? 

 

Shiro looked at him with a pained look and shook his head. “Keith, no.” He murmured, hugging the Omega to his own chest. The bitch male could hear the other’s heartbeat going like crazy and he could sense Shiro’s hesitancy. “I don't want to hurt you.” He mumbled, letting out a breath. 

 

“Keith, they'll take it.” He finally said. The Galran halfling didn't understand, what was Shiro saying? “They'll take it, once it's born. They're gonna take my baby.” It sounded more as though Shiro was admitting it to himself. 

 

And to Shiro, he was. Saying those words out loud made them feel so much more official. They were going to take his baby away, they were going to take  _ Keith _ away. And he was powerless to stop him. A useless, disgrace of an Alpha. He was sure Keith was in shock, he was sure that when the realization finally hit the smaller. 

 

Keith was shocked, but for an entirely other reason. He was actually pregnant. It's only been six weeks, he could finally do it! He could get them out of the hell they'd been pushing through together. He'd finally be able to  _ save  _ Shiro. 

 

His attention was called back by the hitched breaths of panic Shiro was releasing. He pulled back from the hug, wiping the tears from Shiro’s eyes with his thumbs as he held the Alpha’s face in his hands. “I'm so sorry, Keith.” The Alpha sighed, sniffing a bit. Keith shook his head, kissing his mate’s lips softly before he stared the Alpha in the eyes. 

 

“Shiro. Do you trust me?” He asked quietly, a calm tone in his voice. 

 

“Of course I do.” The Alpha huffed. Shiro’s voice was strained and full of hurt. But he was paying attention now, slightly surprised by Keith's calm demeanor. 

 

Smiling a bit, Keith pulled the other forward to kiss Shiro’s head before pulling back to look at his Alpha once more. 

 

“Then you'll trust that I’ll make sure it's all okay.” 

 

Shiro wanted to interject but, he couldn't bring himself to do it. The only thing he could do was trust in his omega. 

 

End Chapter Five

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, hope that was good. 
> 
> BY THE WAY I HAVE A TUMBLR //shamelessly self promotes//
> 
> Errand-Boy.tumblr.com ~
> 
> I draw sometimes, right now I'm working on Voltron mermaids so, you guys should check it out if ya want. 
> 
> Last chapter comes this Saturday! Are you guys excited? I kinda am! My first finished fic posted! I'll start posting Hideaway on the 21st, which is another Voltron/Sheith/AU fic ;v; next I'll work on some Klance because yes I ship both //and all three~// 
> 
> Here's this, as always; feedback and constructive criticism is appreciated!
> 
> -Maouru


	6. Chapter 6

The artificial lights hadn’t even come on and yet, there were guards at their cage. Why? They'd never taken someone so early before. Shiro woke when the bars were raised to allow access, it unsettled him. There was a Galra male he’d never seen before and at the scent of Alpha put him on edge. Subconsciously, Shiro leaned over the Omega, shielding Keith’s body with his own. The Alpha clicked his tongue several times, which confused Shiro until he saw Keith sit up, or at least attempt to. They hadn’t been lying in their usual position. Shiro felt that the Omega should get used to sleeping on his side rather on his belly, since in later months it would be bad for the puppy. In turn, Keith had lied on his side and Shiro held onto him from behind, laying his hand over the younger’s belly.

It was a common position for an Alpha and Omega pair, an easy way for the Alpha to protect in case need be. And this was definitely one of those times. He growled harshly at the Galra, making it clear that he wouldn’t let the unknown Alpha anywhere near Keith. But the Omega seemed to have an entirely different idea. Keith stood, walking to the Galra Alpha and embraced him. Shiro was confused. He stood up and took a single step forward.

“Give me a moment.” The Omega mumbled before turning around to hug Shiro in the same affectionate manner. Leaning back to look the Alpha in the eye, Keith offered an apologetic smile from the confusion riddling his face.

Letting out a sigh, he chuckled a little. But there was no humour in it, more like nervousness. Shiro was extremely worried especially since Keith’s distress was clear in his body language and scent. But his worry was amplified when tears formed in the smaller’s eyes. Keith swallowed thickly once again, letting a shaky sigh leave him.

Keith glanced back the Galra male who gave a nod of encouragement and the Omega looked back up to his Alpha. “This is something I’ve been scared to admit to you since I’d met you,” He mumbled quietly, reaching to pull Shiro’s left hand and hold it in both of his smaller hands.

The Alpha was tense and clearly confused, little did Shiro know; it made things a lot harder for Keith. “I understand if you d-don’t l-love me anymore,” the younger whimpered, his breath hitching as he pulled his gaze away. Shiro shook his head and nuzzled Keith’s hair in an effort to comfort his love.

“Keith, I could never hate you.” He mumbled, rubbing his cheek along the side of the younger’s face before pulling back to look the other in the eyes. That sentence alone caused Keith to burst into tears. He jumped forward, clinging to Shiro’s neck as he bawled into the Alpha’s shoulder.

It took a bit for Keith to calm down enough to speak but when he finally did, Shiro had to listen intently in order to hear the younger. “Close your eyes.” The Omega mumbled quietly. Hesitantly, Shiro complied. He dug his nose into Keith’s shoulder, closing his eyes as he tried to relax with all of the stress surrounding him.

There was a weird shift in the atmosphere and when Keith pulled back, Shiro opened his eyes. Standing before him was an Omegan Galra, with bright yellow eyes, and soft purple hair. He looked strikingly like Keith and the scent that went along with him confirmed it. This was Keith.

Crystalline tears slid down the pale purple cheeks of the Omega’s face and Shiro found himself momentarily angry. How could Keith lie to him? Why was Keith so afraid? It hurt, but Shiro had to stop and think; It would be quite logical for Keith to be afraid of him. A young Galra being tossed into an enclosed space with a slave of the Galra? Shiro couldn’t bring himself to be upset. Yes, it broke his heart that Keith thought that he would be hated for something that could not be helped but, it would be fine, because the important part was that he knew the truth at that point.

Shiro took a step forward and pulled the younger into another hug, looking back just to run his hands through the Omega’s hair, flattening large ears before allowing them to bounce back into place. Keith was startled but melted into the arms of his Alpha quickly.

“I still love you.” Shiro mumbled into the Omega’s hair. Keith swallowed hard and let out a more confident sigh as he stepped back and looked at the older with a look of determination. “We’re keeping our puppy. I promise.” He nodded once, kissing Shiro’s cheek before stepping back into line with the older Galra male.

Keith was determined to make things right with his uncle, especially now that he had a baby to take care of and a promise to keep.

____________________

Heart racing, yellow eyes glowing and alert, Keith swallowed hard. It was the day of the fight. Keith knew what Zarkon expected but he was more than happy to make sure the older male would never get the satisfaction of seeing him beg.

The throne room was nearly empty, save for the Galran Emperor who stood in front of a large window that acted as a one way mirror on the outside. He stared into the vast prairies of the universe, in a deep thought that was finally broken when Keith cleared his throat. Zarkon looked up, glaring back at the Omega before a grin spread wide across his face.

“Ah, nephew. And what to I owe the pleasure.” His voice came out laced with strings of venom, hatred personified through his tone. Keith felt vulnerable without Shiro there to protect him, a feel that he hated. But allowing his fear to be shown under the foot of his uncle would certainly have him crushed.

Keith didn't flinch. With a deep breath, he spoke softly as not to aggravate the old Alpha further. “I can no longer fight for you, uncle.” He said simply. If Zarkon hadn't been blinded by hatred and irritation, he would've known. He would've been able to smell it by then. But of course, the Alpha was angry. Hostility flowed off of Zarkon in waves, making the air around him oppressive and difficult to take in.

A scoff echoed through the silent room, the subtle rolling of eyes easily spotted by the younger Galra. “Oh? So he did tell you.” The man said easily.

Ears pricked and head slightly tilted, Keith looked at the Alpha with a confused stare. He hadn’t gotten a chance to begin before his uncle continued. “What is it then? Afraid your champion will come to his senses and kill you when it means his survival? Or perhaps you worry that the Champion won't fight you and we’ll kill him for his disobedience.” A dark chuckle resonated within the area, making Keith stiffen

He shook his head, staring at the Alpha. “I don't know what you're talking about, but…neither of those things are correct.” He muttered, moving his gaze downcast to avoid Zarkon’s rage.

A bang alerted many ears around them, though no one dared enter. Zarkon had rushed him, gripping the loose chemise, slamming the Omega into the hard, metal wall behind him. Keith’s arms immediately clung around his stomach, in hopes to provide some sort of meager protection. He wasn't sure if harsh impact could hurt his pup that early, but he didn't want to find out.

Meanwhile, Zarkon’s rage was only bubbling up and over and could be heard in his angered back of; “Then what is it!”

Keith flinched, shying away. His shoulders ached from the impact of the force, tears flowed freely as he let out an aggitated growl. He coward from the the Alpha, releasing a menacing growl that ran through Zarkon’s ears and set off something in his brain that told him to back away from the disquieted Omega; which he did.

In his fretfulness, Keith had the urge to run. Run back to the lower deck, back to his cage, back to Shiro. But he'd made a promise to his mate. One he would keep. “I am with child.” Each word he'd spoken was spat out and angry. It startled the Alpha more than anything. But as soon as the words registered, he forced Keith’s arms away and buried his nose into his nephew’s abdomen.

A cautionary hiss left the Omega but was cut short when Zarkon nipped at his belly, demonstrating the power he had at that particular moment. With a distressed whimper, Keith discontinued his struggles. Zarkon inhaled deeply, moving around to different places as if to make sure it wasn't some kind of hoax. When he'd finally pulled up, he released the Omega and stepped away, laughing in disbelief.

“You actually did it. You actually got that killer to pup you.” The Alpha was amused and it angered Keith. Zarkon wasn't allowed to laugh at him, he wasn't allowed to make such horrible comments. But that didn't matter. Only one thing lay on the Omega’s mind.

Keith slung his arms back over his belly, cowering into the wall as he glared at the Alpha. “What about your promise.” He barked out, to afraid to do much more than pester his uncle. Zarkon glanced back with a look of recognition and smirked, shrugging his shoulders.

With a sigh, he wrapped an arm around his nephew, noting how Keith curled into himself, as he led the bitch male out of the throne room. He glanced at one of his guards who stood at attention right outside of his room and mumbled half heartedly; “Bring the Champion to the room of Thace’s whelp.”

____________________

It'd been so many years ago, Keith could hardly remember what his life was like before Altea. He had told his uncle that he wished to be sent there and that he wanted the planet to be left alone. So far, his wish had been granted.

He'd met Shiro’s — ex — fiance, Allura. She was a beautiful Altean woman who had found herself a girlfriend; a human girl named Pidge. Pidge was a bit older than Keith but, then again, so was everyone he knew.

Allura accepted Keith as Shiro’s mate easily and took on a motherly role in the Omega’s life. She hadn't even been bothered by his heritage and Keith continued to take a human form.

She helped Keith take care of his pup, who turned out to be a strong, healthy Alpha whom Keith and Shiro decided on naming Lance.

Neither could remember a time when they'd been happier, and it was times like that; when Keith would lay, perched upon Shiro’s chest, listening to the thrumming lullaby of his heartbeat, the Omega was truly happy.

“Do you remember when we were trapped in a cell?” He asked, fingers tracing made-up shapes in the Alpha’s bicep. Shiro shifted slightly, running his fingers through black tresses.

Releasing another breath, the Alpha glanced down with a raised brow. “Of course I do, how could I forget? Why are you thinking about that?” He asked quietly, sitting up to cradle his mate protectively.

Keith nuzzled the older, setting in with his head under the Alpha’s chin as he released a deep breath, an aura of peace flowing from him as he sat in the grass with Shiro, under the watchful eye of the stars. He took a moment to think of what he wanted to say before he pulled his mate’s eyes down to meet his own, amethyst clashing with stone. And just before engulfing his Alpha in a sweet kiss, he said;

“I just never thought it would lead to the happiest moment in my life.”

 

End 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here it is; the final chapter.  
> I would like to first apologize for the week long delay, I had a lot of stuff going on last Saturday. I was far too emotional to actually properly edit and I didn't want to put out horrible work. 
> 
> Secondly I'd like to address some of the rude comments I've received. I understand that it's annoying waiting for a chapter to be posted, especially when there's a set date. But, again, I am still self beta-ed. I'm not sure if I'm wanting to work with a beta or continuing what I've got going on. All I know is; I, nor any there writer in the world, am not a machine. I can't just toss out chapters here and there for someone's entertainment or at their leisure. I am sorry; but please do not treat me as if I can just post whatever, whenever. Just because the fic's finished being written doesn't mean it's finished being filtered, and editing is an important part of quality writing.  
> Anyway; I'm not sure when my next Fic will be ready; school has started and as a third year in high school, it's going to be a hectic start. It'll take me a bit but I'll get into the swing of things eventually. 
> 
> Anyway; I hope that this Fic met expectations, I feel as though the ending was cheesy, predictable, and a bit anticlimactic but; it's cute and sweet and my boys deserve happiness. 
> 
> Goodbye for now, and thank you for following the development of "Within These Final Hours."
> 
> -Maouru


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